Britney Spears kicks off Las Vegas casino residency

Britney Spears through the years – Spears began a two-year residency at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on December 27, 2013, with the debut of her show "Britney: Piece of Me."

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Britney Spears through the years – Britney Spears sent out an image on Instagram showing her latest look -- transforming her blond locks to brunette.

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Britney Spears through the years – A blond Spears takes the stage at the 40th Annual People's Choice Awards to accept the favorite pop artist award on January 8.

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Britney Spears through the years – Spears recently released a new album, "Britney Jean," and on December 2, 2013, celebrated her 32nd birthday.

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Britney Spears through the years – As a youngster, Spears was a member of the a new generation of the "Mickey Mouse Club" shown here sitting next to Ryan Gosling in the front row along with, from left in back row, T. J. Fantini, Tate Lynche, Nikki Deloach, Christina Aguilera and Justin Timberlake.

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Britney Spears through the years – Spears bounced onto the scene in 1999 with her first studio album "Baby One More Time." Here she is that year performing in East, Rutherford, New Jersey.

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Britney Spears through the years – Spears famously performs with a snake draped over her shoulders at the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards in New York City.

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Britney Spears through the years – In 2001, Spears appears on the red carpet with then-boyfriend and fellow Mouseketeer Justin Timberlake.

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Britney Spears through the years – In 2002, Taryn Manning, Spears and Zoe Saldana appear in the film "Crossroads."

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Britney Spears through the years – Britney Spears and her younger sister, Jamie Lynn Spears, appear at the Teen Choice Awards 2002 at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles.

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Britney Spears through the years – In 2003, Spears and Madonna set tongues wagging as they kiss during the opening performance of the MTV Video Music Awards at New York's Radio City Music Hall.

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Britney Spears through the years – Spears receives a star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame in Hollywood, California, in 2003.

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Britney Spears through the years – Spears and then-husband Kevin Federline arrive at the 2004 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

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Britney Spears through the years – A Daily News front page dated February 18, 2007, shows Spears after she shaved her head. Headlines at the time focused on whether the star was in the midst of a breakdown.

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Britney Spears through the years – Spears performs at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards at The Palms Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

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Britney Spears through the years – The singer arrives at the Los Angeles County Superior courthouse in 2008 for a hearing regarding visitation rights for her two sons that she has with ex-husband Kevin Federline.

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Britney Spears through the years – Spears poses in the press room at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards at Paramount Pictures Studios in Los Angeles.

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Britney Spears through the years – Spears poses with her sons Preston and Jayden in Mickey's Toontown Fair at the Magic Kingdom in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, in 2009.

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Britney Spears through the years – Spears and Rihanna perform at the 2011 Billboard Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

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Britney Spears through the years – From left, contestant Carly Rose Sonenclar, judge Britney Spears and contestant Diamond White appear on Fox's "The X Factor" during Season 2 in 2012.

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Britney Spears through the years – Spears and her boyfriend David Lucado go out for a stroll in 2013.

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Story highlights

Britney Spears is reportedly earning $30 million for the 100 Vegas shows through 2015

Spears dances on a 100-foot stage, backed by 14 dancers and large video screens

Las Vegas may never be the same now that Britney Spears has started a residency in Nevada's Sin City.

"Britney: Piece of Me" debuted at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino this weekend, almost 10 years to the day that Spears married a high school friend at a wedding chapel just down the Vegas strip.

Her marriage to Jason Alexander lasted just 55 hours before it was annulled, but Spears' new relationship with Vegas is planned for at least two years. She is reportedly earning $300,000 per show -- $30 million for the 100 shows through 2015.

Spears dances on a 100-foot stage, backed by 14 dancers and one of the world's largest video installations. She enters from a spherical cage that descends from above. Near the end, Spears leaps from a giant tree, flying across the stage on a cable.

While her microphone is live and Spears appears to be singing, much of what the audience hears is from pre-recorded tracks of 21 hits from her pop career.

A live four-piece band plays behind Spears, visible on scaffolding at the rear of the stage. But evidence that much of it is pre-produced comes when Will.i.am appears on video to perform "Scream & Shout" with Spears.

Backing tracks for vocals are not new or unexpected, considering that Spears is running around the stage for most of the 90-minute show.

The 4,600 people attending her opening night Friday seemed willing to suspend any disbelief. They also mouthed the familiar lyrics to "Baby One More Time," "Oops I Did It Again," "Toxic," "Circus," "Womanizer" and "Slave 4 U." She includes songs from her just-released album "Britney Jean."

Unlike most Vegas shows, the theater seats are almost unnecessary. The crowd stood through most of the show as if they were in a nightclub dancing to a DJ.

Planet Hollywood describes the remodeled Axis Theater as "part nightclub and part theater." The VIP section includes bottle service, tables and a dance floor.

Tickets to the VIP area are in big demand, according to Robin Leach, the "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" host who now covers Las Vegas nightlife. One Vegas business owner is negotiating to buy the front-center VIP table for every show, he said.

Spears takes a break after playing the New Year's Eve show, returning on January 29 to begin three shows a week for the next month. Shows are scheduled in four-week segments in April and May and again in August and September.

A younger Las Vegas

Spears' arrival signals another phase in a trend toward a younger Las Vegas that began with nightclubs paying famous DJs big dollars to play electronic dance music.

"The demographic of Vegas has been sliding in the last two years, much younger and the emphasis now is not so much on gaming," said Leach. The younger tourists are shopping, eating, drinking and going to nightclubs, he said.

A fan who was just 6 when Spear's first single -- "Baby One More Time" -- topped the pop charts 15 years ago is now 21 and old enough to fly to Las Vegas and party.

Spears, who turned 32 this month, "is the obvious and natural choice" to take advantage of the younger Vegas because of her fan following," Leach said.

"When you look at the landscape of pop stars, pop princesses, pop queens, there's nobody other than Britney who has the depth of a career and the number of albums," he said. "She has a huge repertoire to go to."